Chronicle Editor
Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporter
THE Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cde Cain Mathema, has raised concern over the high number of education officers working on an acting capacity across the Ministry’s departments.
Minister Mathema said this in Bulawayo on Friday during the official launch of the trainer of trainers programme for educators, a partnership between Government and Unicef.
The trainer of trainers programme is a capacity building programme meant to train education authorities across the country to improve schools’ performances.
Minister Mathema urged the Public Service Commission (PSC) to appoint substantive District Schools’ Inspectors (DSIs) and Provincial Education Directors (PEDs) as there were too many public servants in acting capacities.
The Minister said failure by the PSC to appoint substantive public officers was retrogressive as acting office holders would not apply themselves fully.
“More than half of the people who introduced themselves here said they are acting. We cannot have people acting for 20 years. We need substantive appointments as soon as possible. In Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South provinces, all the provincial education directors are acting. Why? Schools inspectors are acting, people should be substantively appointed so that they work with confidence,” said the Minister.
In the Southern region, Mrs Olichah Kaira is acting Bulawayo Provincial Education Director while Mr Jabulani Mpofu and Mr Lifias Masukume are also acting PEDs in Matabeleland North and South respectively.
Mrs Kaira was appointed acting PED following the retirement of long serving educationist, Mr Dan Moyo, in 2017.
Mr Masukume replaced Mrs Thumisang Thabela after she was appointed Permanent Secretary in the ministry.
Mr Mpofu replaced Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni who retired in 2017 after 37 years of service.
Minister Mathema also called for substantive District Schools Inspectors to be appointed across the country after nearly half of the delegates at the trainer of trainers programme introduced themselves as acting officers.
“When you are acting, it is different from when you are a substantive office holder because you are uncertain of how long you will stay in that acting capacity and you cannot really implement long term plans for your department as you are not certain that you will be able to complete them. So, this often comes with anxiety and this issue must be sorted out with the urgency it deserves,” said the Minister.-@andile_tshuma.
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